The band was originally formed in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1990 by friends Merritt and (percussionist/pianist/vocalist) Claudia Gonson. While 1991's Distant Plastic Trees and 1992's The Wayward Bus (now most easily available together as a compilation, The Wayward Bus / Distant Plastic Trees) are sung by Susan Anway (b. 1951 - d. 2021), all subsequent albums are principally sung by Merritt himself.
Longtime members include: Gonson, (cellist) Sam Davol, and (banjo player/guitarist) John Woo. Contributors include (but are not limited to) the singers Susan Anway, Dudley Klute, Shirley Simms, and LD Beghtol, and the accordionist/writer Daniel Handler (famous for writing the childrens' books A Series of Unfortunate Events under the alias Lemony Snicket).
Their most popular and best-selling album to date is 69 Love Songs issued on Merge Records as a triple album filled with many fairly short songs that are reminiscent of early Beatles productions.
The album is notable for its employment of many unorthodox musical arrangements and downright impressive quantity of material presented. Instruments used on this album include the ukulele, banjo, accordion, cello, mandolin, piano, flute, xylophone guitars, various percussion instruments, and a standard setup of synths and effects. It features several guest vocalists on several different tracks. The album is a three CD set, released in the US as three separate albums (also available as a boxed set) and in the UK as a triple album.
The album i (2004, Nonesuch Records) continues Merritt's fixation on the concept album, with each of the 14 songs beginning with the letter (and often the pronoun) "I".
The album Distortion, was released through Nonesuch on the 15th January 2008 and introduced noise pop to the array of styles utilized in their music. The album's release was followed by a sold-out U.S. tour starting in February. Additional albums followed in 2010, 2012, 2017, and 2020.
Stephin Merritt is involved in several other musical projects: The 6ths (featuring different guest performers on every track), The Gothic Archies (songs dealing humorously with dark themes) and Future Bible Heroes (with music written by Chris Ewen)
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Dancing in Your Eyes
The Magnetic Fields Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We didn't care, we just let it die
But when we dance, just you and I
When we walk hand in hand in the rain
When we're young and in love once again
We will dance in the autumn with the leaves in our hair
When I look, I'll be dancing in your eyes
You've gone away over the sea
You will return, it's meant to be
Never regret your time with me
The Magnetic Fields's song, "Dancing in Your Eyes," is an evocative and passionate love ballad that explores the different emotions of a couple who finds themselves reminiscing about their past love while waiting for a reunion in the future. The song's opening lines, "The summer came and passed us by, we didn't care, we just let it die," speak of the carefree nature of their youth, as they were not concerned with the passage of time and how it might affect their love. The words capture the essence of an easy, free-spirited love that doesn't need any external validation.
As the story continues, we see the couple dancing and walking hand in hand in the rain, lost in each other's company. The reference to autumn and leaves in their hair further emphasizes the poetic representation of the beauty of their love. The phrase "When I look, I'll be dancing in your eyes" further reveals the depth of their connection, as they can only see their reflection in each other's eyes.
Later on, the song shifts towards the future, with the couple struggling with the separation caused by distance. The line "You've gone away over the sea, you will return, it's meant to be" echoes the unwavering faithfulness and commitment to the relationship. The final line, "Never regret your time with me," is a poignant reminder that sometimes, even though circumstances may not be ideal, memories of a past love will always remain cherished and valuable.
Line by Line Meaning
The summer came and passed us by
The season of summer came and left us in a swift manner.
We didn't care, we just let it die
We didn't worry about the season ending and allowed it to pass without any concern.
But when we dance, just you and I
However when both of us dance together, a sense of joy fills us.
When we walk hand in hand in the rain
Walking together in rainy weather while holding hands, seems like a significant moment for us.
When we're young and in love once again
We experience the feeling of being young and in love like we did before.
We will dance in the autumn with the leaves in our hair
Together we'll dance during the autumn season, possibly surrounded by beautiful leaves.
When I look, I'll be dancing in your eyes
While looking at you, I'll see happiness in your eyes revealing that we'll be in perfect sync.
You've gone away over the sea
You have traveled across the ocean away from me.
You will return, it's meant to be
I have faith you will return, it seems like destiny.
Never regret your time with me
Don't ever feel bad about the moments spent with me.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Aislinn
The summer came and passed us by
We didn't care
We just let it die
But when we dance, just you and I
When we walk hand in hand in the rain
When we're young and in love once again
We will dance in the autumn with the leaves in our hair
When I look, I'll be dancing in your eyes
When I look, I'll be dancing in your eyes
You've gone away over the sea
You will return
It's meant to be
Never regret your time with me
When we walk hand in hand in the rain
When we're young and in love once again
We will dance in the autumn with the leaves in our hair
When I look, I'll be dancing in your eyes
When I look, I'll be dancing in your eyes
freudastaire
This album is 69 times better than Love Songs
starfox
god i love this song. my fav on wayward bus
Butt McNut
yeah this ones rad. its funny how many people know about 69 love songs, but none of his other albums, which are all better in my opinion
Art Angels
feel like absolute shit i just wanna live in this song forever
Conor Drake
'Please stop dancing in my eyes
I can't make it pretty lies
Please stop dancing in my eyes'
Javier Alcala
RIP Susan Anway
big nasty J
crushing...
freudastaire
@freudastaire and i was 69 times kidding. Love both!
freudastaire
@freudastaire and i was 69 times kidding. Love both!